Jeff Hostetler: WVU legend & two-time Super Bowl champion
State of Minds
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54m
In this episode of State of Minds, Hoppy Kercheval sits down with WVU legend and two-time Super Bowl champion Jeff Hostetler. Though widely recognized for his historic 1991 Super Bowl victory with the New York Giants and his hall-of-fame career as a Mountaineer quarterback, Hostetler shares a side of his life that rarely makes the highlight reels. He reflects on his transition from professional athlete to a hands-on entrepreneur in the construction and land development industry, a passion rooted in his love for architecture and a gritty work ethic forged on his childhood dairy farm. Jeff discusses the "in the trenches" mentality he was raised with as one of seven children and how he has worked to instill those same values of perseverance and manual labor into his own sons.
The conversation takes a deeply personal turn as Jeff discusses the mission behind the Hoss Foundation and his family's commitment to the WVU Medicine Children’s Hospital. Drawing from his own experiences as a parent who faced medical crises with his children, he explains why providing a "locker room" sanctuary for families in the hospital is more rewarding than any professional accolade. Jeff also provides a candid look back at his 1980 transfer from Penn State, detailing the frustrations and broken promises under Joe Paterno that eventually led him to find his true home in Morgantown. Throughout the interview, Hostetler emphasizes the importance of faith, the lasting legacy of his parents, and his ongoing goal to "be blessed to be able to bless others" in the West Virginia community.
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